Karen Klonsky is an emeritus Specialist in Cooperative Extension in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of California at Davis. Her interest in alternative farming systems began with her dissertation work comparing alfalfa management systems with and without integrated pest management. Since then she has done extensive research into the economic feasibility of alternative and organic farming practices for field crops, vegetables, and tree crops collaborating on a range of interdisciplinary research projects. Her interest in organic agriculture led her to analyze the growth and structure of organic farm production in California over the last decade.

Karen has directed the development of cost and return studies for the major crops in California through UC Cooperative Extension and the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. The studies are now produced by AIC. Karen serves as an editor for the Journal of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.

She has a PhD in agricultural economics from Michigan State University and an undergraduate degree in mathematics from the University of Michigan.